Fairbairn Dam

BW

The Lake Maraboon is a reservoir in the east of the Australian state of Queensland. The lake is 25 km southwest of the town of Emerald almost at the Tropic of Capricorn. The Fairbairn Dam was built in 1972 on NogoA River, which with the Lake Maraboon was the second largest lake in Queensland. Maraboon is a word from the language of the local Aborigines and in German means where the black ducks flying.

The main purpose of the Lake Maraboon is the irrigation of agricultural land. About 300 irrigation systems for cotton, citrus and other crops are connected to the reservoir. The lake is relatively shallow with a maximum depth of 31.7 m. There are no restrictions for water sports and the dam even has a concrete slipway for boats.

History

On 1 July 2003, the cotton farmers who depend on the lake, had to accept cuts of 75 % when the permitted water withdrawal. In November 2006, the reservoir reached its lowest water level so far with only 14 % of the maximum storage volume. In the summer of the same year, the water level fell due to reduced inflows and increased evaporation further to 12 % of the maximum storage volume.

On January 18, 2008, at about 12 clock noon, the reservoir for the first time things did in 17 years because of heavy local rainfall over (see photo). On January 20, 2008 about 48 hours later, a water level reached 3.5 m above the outlet. This corresponds approximately to a filling level of 156 % of the maximum storage volume. On 22 January 2008, the highest water level reached 4.5 m above the outlet. Only a week earlier the rate was only 29 % of the maximum capacity of the water level. Downstream had to be evacuated because of floods 2,700 residents.

Sun Water, the company that operates the dam has launched a program to increase the storage volume in order to increase the safety of the dam. Long run, the outlet is increased.

Fishing

In the reservoir Barramundis were used, as well as the " Mary River cod " ( Macculochella mariensis ), Leichhardt osteoglossid ( Scleropages leichardti ), perch and tiger fish. Aalschwanzwelse ( Tandanus tandanus ), stain perch, crayfish, Russ Tiger fish (Hephaestus fuliginosus ) and cod perch are also available. In Lake Maraboon may in an area 200 m are not fished from the dam ..

Swell

• Current Water Storage Information. Sun Water
• Map of Lake Maraboon, QLD. Bonzle.com